Wyzwania dla współczesnej praktyki przygotowania do bierzmowania na przykładzie doświadczeń Polski i Niemiec
Challenges faced by contemporary preparation for confirmation on the example of Polish and German experience

Summary/Abstract: The analysis of contemporary practical preparation for the sacrament of confirmation in Poland and Germany allows us not only to diagnose its present situation in both countries but also to discover the challanges which are to be faced. Considering the hardships of the present pastoral work connected with the sacrament of confirmation, the appropriate theology needs to be clearly specified in order to define the objectives of the religious education for confirmation. It seems more accurate to talk about “the way” to confirmation, meaning the process in which a young man is accompanied not only before but also after receiving the sacrament. The main challenge for the present practice of preparation for the sacrament of confirmation is its operating on two dimensions. The first is the divergence of expactations of the church community (the parish) together with the expectations of the youth, the other is the heterogeneity of the group involved in the process of preparation for the confirmation. The answer to those should be the optimization of the proportions between the uniform and diversified preparation for the sacrament, applying appropriate discourse together with the right choice of people who accompany the young at this stage of their lives. All these actions should be taken not only to prepare young people for receiving the sacrament but also to move their inner side. It is indispensible to emphasize the element of evangelism in “the way of confirmation” as well as benefiting from the rules developed by the practice of catechumenate.

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